Groom and best man charged in Hull wedding reception melee

Monday

Aug 18, 2014 at 6:10 PMAug 18, 2014 at 6:41 PM

Joseph Truglia, who was arrested at his wedding reception Friday night, appeared in Hingham District Court on Monday to face a charge of assault and battery, while his brother, Patrick Truglia, was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and destruction of property worth more than $250. Both were released on their promise to return to court Sept. 19. Police accused Truglia of slapping his wife.

Neal Simpson The Patriot Ledger @nsimpson_ledger

HULL – Police say a seaside wedding reception broke into a melee that ended only after police threatened wedding guests with pepper spray and arrested the groom along with his best man. The groom, Joseph Truglia, appeared in Hingham District Court on Monday to face a charge of assault and battery, while his brother, Patrick Truglia, was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and destruction of property worth more than $250. Both were released on their promise to return to court Sept. 19. Police reports filed at the court describes a chaotic scene at the Nantasket Beach Resort early Friday night as police officers, state troopers and paramedics descended on the wedding to calm the brothers, tend to a sick guest and keep an increasingly angry crowd at bay. Police said the brothers’ father was stricken with what appeard to be heart attack symptoms amid the pandemonium and Joseph Truglia later slapped his wife as they argued over whose family had caused the scene. But Joseph Truglia’s attorney, Chris Affsa, said his client was “adamant” that he did not intentionally slap his bride, though he said he may have grazed her face while gesturing with his hands. He said the bride had no interest in seeking a restraining order against Truglia. “He’s highly embarrassed by this event,” Affsa said. According to the brothers’ arrest reports, a Hull police officer was working a detail at the wedding reception at about 9:15 p.m. Friday when he heard people screaming and found Patrick Truglia inside a room that was covered with shards of glass from a shattered table that had been thrown on its side. Police said Truglia left the hotel with two friends but eventually returned and started screaming at other wedding guests. Officers tried to separate Truglia from one of the guests after their argument turned physical, but Truglia resisted as more police officers and state troopers arrived and a crowd of guests rushed out of the hotel, according to the report. Police said Joseph Truglia was “enraged” when he saw his brother being arrested and became “hostile” after learning that his father was having a heart attack amid the commotion. Police said the crowd of guests were yelling at officers, and two Hingham officers threatened to use pepper spray if the guests did not comply with their commands. Police said officers shut down the party and were moving guests out of the hotel when the bride’s mother came down the lobby stairwell shouting, “You need to get him out of here. He’s up there slapping her.” Police said officers went upstairs and found the bride crying and shouting about Truglia slapping her. Police said the bride told officers that Truglia had hit her hard enough to leave a bruise, but said she didn’t need medical attention and did not want Truglia arrested. Police said there was a light red mark on her upper left check. Police said the brothers appeared to be intoxicated.

Contact Neal Simpson at nesimpson@ledger.com or follow him on Twitter @NSimpson_Ledger.